Across the Pond
Episodes
129. Simón López Trujillo, "Pedro the Vast"
20 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Author Simón López Trujillo joins us to talk about his novel Pedro the Vast, a multitudinous novel that explores manuel labor, parenting, religion, ...
128. Austyn Wohlers, "Hothouse Bloom"
06 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Sam's farming career, and we talk to writer and musician Austyn Wohlers about her intriguing and beautifully written novel, Hothouse Bloom.Thank ...
127. Xiaolu Guo, "Call Me Ishmaelle"
23 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What we will be reading over the holidays, and we welcome writer Xiaolu Guo to talk about her latest novel, Call Me Ishmaelle. (Hint: There could be a...
124. Gonzalo C. Garcia, "Telenovela"
10 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We celebrate the publication of Galley Beggar Press's latest book, Telenovela by Gonzalo C. Garcia, and Gonzalo joins us for a wonderful discussi...
125. Sarah Hall, "Helm"
25 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The wonderful writer Sarah Hall returns to the podcast, this time to talk about her latest novel Helm, in which the Helm Wind of Cumbria, England&apos...
124. Brad Fox, "Another Bone-Swapping Event"
11 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Brad Fox makes his second appearance on the podcast, this time with Another Bone-Swapping Event about his year in the Peruvian jungle under the direct...
123. Anbara Salam, "The Salvage"
28 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Writer Anbara Salam joins us for a discussion of her binge-worthy new novel, The Salvage, about a sunken shipwreck off the coast of Scotland and the m...
122. Chris Kraus, "The Four Spent the Day Together"
14 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Chris Kraus is our guest as we explore her new book, The Four Spent the Day Together, a riviting account of a murder in rural Minnesota that complemen...
121. Lily King, "Heart the Lover"
30 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Sam and Lori are joined by writer Lily King to talk about her latest novel, Heart the Lover, a wonderful exploration of love, friendship, and learning...
120. Tom Cox, "Everything Will Swallow You"
16 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Writer and music critic Tom Cox joins us for an engaging discussion of his latest novel, Everything Will Swallow You, a beautiful, unusual depiction o...
119. Miranda Mellis, "Crocosmia"
02 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We discuss some of the new words added to the Cambridge Dictionary, and a fascinating discussion with writer Miranda Mellis about her new book Crocosm...
118. Josephine Rowe, "Little World"
19 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Sam battles AI tech bros; we chat with author Josephine Rowe about her new novel Little World, published by Transit Books.Thank you for listening! If ...
117. Issa Quincy, "Absence"
05 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Galley Beggar Press wants your short story; gearing up for Henry James at The Big Book Project; and we talk to writer Issa Quincy about his recent nov...
116. Catherine Lacey, "The Möbius Book"
22 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Catherine Lacey returns to the podcast to talk about The Möbius Book; reportedly, Patricia Highsmith was a hard boss; Lori is interviewed on Beyond t...
115. Jonathan Gibbs, "Randall"
08 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Author Jonathan Gibbs joins us to talk about his novel Randall, published in the UK by Sam's Galley Beggar Press eleven years ago but just now ma...
114. Wendy Erskine, "The Benefactors"
24 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Writers beware of the TikTok publishing model, and we chat with Wendy Erskine about her exuberant, polyvocal novel, The Benefactors.Thank you for list...
113. Megan Hunter, "Days of Light"
10 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Author Megan Hunter joins us to talk about her new novel, Days of Light, that depicts fifty years in the life of a British woman who learns to find ...
112. Seán Hewitt, "Open, Heaven"
27 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Galley Beggar Press's own Mark Bowles is shortlisted for a first novel prize; Sam stays up too late celebrating. We talk to writer Seán Hewitt a...
111. Vijay Khurana "The Passenger Seat"
13 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Are male literary writers underrepresented in today's publishing scene? And we talk to Vijay Khurana about his timely first novel, The Passenger ...
110. Laurent Binet, "Perspective(s)"
29 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
French author Laurent Binet joins us to talk about his latest novel Perspective(s), translated by Sam Taylor, a murder mystery set in the art world of...
109. Jonathan Coe, "The Proof of My Innocence"
15 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We are joined by the brilliant writer Jonathan Coe to discuss his latest novel, The Proof of My Innocence, a pastiche of genre fiction and insightful ...
108. "The Frog in the Throat" by Markus Werner with translator Michael Hofmann
01 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We brag about having poet, critic, and translator extraordinaire Michael Hofmann on the show, and then we talk to him about his latest work in transla...
107. House of Fury by Evelio Rosero with translator Victor Meadowcroft
18 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We celebrate prize winners: Galley Beggar Short Story Prize and Republic of Consciousness Prize, US & Canada!! And translator Victor Meadowcroft j...
106. Jón Kalman Stefánsson, "Heaven and Hell"
04 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's prize shortlist season! And, we have a fascinating discussion with author Jón Kalman Stefánsson about Heaven and Hell, the first novel in ...
105. Steve Stern, "A Fool's Kabbalah"
18 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Author Steve Stern joins us for his second appearance on the pod to talk about his latest novel, A Fool's Kabbalah, about one man's quest to...
104. Ali Smith, "Gliff"
04 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A new, indie friendly platform for buying e-books; we have a great discussion with the prolific and wonderous Ali Smith about her latest novel, Gliff!...
103. Holly Pester, "The Lodgers"
21 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We talk about our 2025 literary projects, and writer Holly Pester joins us to discuss her novel on the precarity of temporary living spaces, The Lodge...
102. "Wuthering Heights"
07 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Sam and Lori discuss Emily Brontë's classic novel of revenge on the moors--Wuthering Heights! Does this novel live up to its reputation? We ha...
101. Graeme Macrae Burnet, "A Case of Matricide"
24 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A Doestoevsky short story goes viral on Tik-Tok, and we talk to A Case of Matricide author Graeme Macrae Burnet about proxies, accomplices, and doppel...
100th Episode with Dan Wells
10 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We celebrate this, our 100th episode! Thank you for listening! And we chat with publisher and book store owner, Dan Wells, to mark the occassion o...
99. Rita Bullwinkel, "Headshot"
26 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The dying art of the honest book review; and Rita Bullwinkel is our guest to talk about her novel Headshot, which takes us into the lives and minds of...
98. Rodrigo Fresán, "Melvill"
12 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Cure's Robert Smith continues legacy of writing songs rich with literary references; and we talk to author Rodrigo Fresán about his new nove...
97. Mark Haber, "Lesser Ruins"
29 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The release of "Patriot,," Alexei Navalny's collected prison diaries; do book festivals still have value? And we are joined by Mark Hab...
96. Sam Mills, "The Watermark"
15 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Our recent guest, Mark Bowles, makes the Goldsmiths Prize shortlist; reading, or not, at elite US colleges; and Sam Mills is our guest to talk about h...
95. Mark Bowles "All My Precious Madness"
01 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Publishers' costs: printing vs AI; even more love for libraries; we chat with Mark Bowles about the erudite, grumpy narrator of his captivating...
94. Jamie Quatro, " Two-Step Devil"
17 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
National Novel Writing Month takes a hit for its position on AI; the 20th anniversary of a novel we love: Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange and M...
93. Noémi Kiss-Deáki, "Mary and the Rabbit Dream"
03 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A home robbery is thwarted when the thief gets distracted by a book; what's the latest trend in book cover art?; and we talk to writer Noémi Kis...
92. Claire Kilroy, "Soldier Sailor"
20 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Liverpool library defies riots and fire; the inaugural Inside Literary Prize; and writer Claire Kilroy joins us to talk about Soldier Sailor, her stri...
91. Kazim Ali, "Indian Winter"
06 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Scandal at the Hugo Awards; Do straight guys hate novels?; writer Kazim Ali is our guest to talk about his novel, Indian Winter, Coach House Books&apo...
90. J.L. Carr "A Month in the Country"
23 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
That controversial NYT Top 100 List; should a writer's life affect our appreciation of their work; Sam and Lori love J. L. Carr's A Month in...
89. Sarah Perry, "Enlightenment"
09 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Librarian superheroes; dog-hair mittens; and we talk to author Sarah Perry about her fascinating new novel, Enlightenment. Thank you for listening! I...
88. Andrew O'Hagan, "Caledonian Road"
25 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Arundhati Roy faces prison for a speech made fourteen years ago; summer reading plans; and, we talk to writer Andrew O'Hagan about his wonderfull...
87. Clare Pollard, "The Modern Fairies"
11 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Are debut novels failing to launch? And we talk to writer Clare Pollard about her latest novel, The Modern Fairies, on female literary salons during t...
86. Alex Pugsley, " The Education of Aubrey McKee"
28 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Previous guests win big awards; the high production costs for small presses; and we talk to writer and filmmaker Alex Pugsley about his new novel, The...
85. Ada Zhang, "The Sorrows of Others"
14 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Commemorating Paul Auster; praising Miss MacIntosh, My Darling; and we talk to writer Ada Zhang on the one year anniversary of her debut story collect...
84. Danielle Dutton, "Prairie, Dresses, Art, Other"
30 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sam is a Swiftie; Rushdie's new memoir Knife is amazing; and we talk to writer and publisher Danielle Dutton about strangeness, attention and for...
83. Scarlett Thomas, "The Sleepwalkers"
16 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Finding a way to print books while sacrificing fewer trees; questioning if there aren't just too many books being published these days? We chat w...
82. Douglas Westerbeke, "A Short Walk Through a Wide World"
02 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's the 50th anniversary of Stephen King's novel, Carrie; bad news for the distribution of small press literature in the US; and we talk to...
81. Aron Aji and Selin Gökçesu (translators), "Lojman"
19 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Annoucements from our literary prizes; a new publishing model promises greater equity for authors; be a "reader-in-residence;" and we talk t...
80. Lars Iyer, "My Weil"
05 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We talk to writer Lars Iyer about his smart, sophisticated, and very funny campus novel, My Weil, in which a group of Disaster Studies PhD students in...
79. Sebastián MartÃnez Daniell, "Two Sherpas"
20 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Reading IS sexy; Sendak estate publshes posthumous kid's book; and we talk to Sebastián MartÃnez Daniell about his novel, Two Sherpas, publishe...
78. Alexis Wright, "Praiseworthy"
06 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is streaming bad for audiobooks? We talk longlists for the Galley Beggar Press short story prize and the Republic of Consciousness Prize for small pre...
77. Paul Lynch "Prophet Song"
24 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Keanu Reeves moves from screen to page; Wolf Hall trilogy Collective Read; and Booker Prize winner Paul Lynch joins us to talk about his novel Prophet...
76. Mike McCormack, "This Plague of Souls"
09 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Irish author Mike McCormack joins Sam and Lori to talk about his latest novel, This Plague of Souls, the second novel of a triptych following his awar...
75. Christine Coulson, "One Woman Show"
26 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We wrap-up the year with some 2023 highlights and talk to author Christine Coulson about her unique novel, One Woman Show, a life narrative told prima...
74. Don Gillmor, "Breaking and Entering"
12 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We mark the death of poet and social activist Benjamin Zephaniah and talk about a new literary prize to be awarded by US prison inmates; author Don Gi...
73. Christine Lai, "Landscapes"
28 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Reading Grace Paley's short story, "Wants;" and we talk to debut novelist Christine Lai about her novel Landscapes, submitted by Two Do...
72. Kate Briggs, "The Long Form"
14 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Across the Pond guest Benjamin Myers wins the 2023 Goldsmiths Prize for Cuddy; literary agent Andrew Wylie has us talking; and we welcome writer and t...
71. Adam Biles, "Beasts of England"
31 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
AI's Vesuvius Challenge; are reports of the death of our attentions greatly exaaggerated?; and, we talk to author Adam Biles about his novel Beas...
70. Caleb Azumah Nelson, "Small Worlds"
17 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What is literary fiction?; and writer Caleb Azumah Nelson returns to the podcast to talk about his sensory-rich, sophomore novel, Small Worlds. Thank...
69. Ben Fountain, "Devil Makes Three"
03 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
AI book theft; The White Review suspends publication; Amazon is sued; and we welcome writer Ben Fountain to the podcast to discuss his immersive and t...
68. Sheena Patel, "I'm a Fan"
19 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sam and Lori talk about the prescient, 1901 H.G. Wells short story, The New Accelerator, and our guest is Sheena Patel, who joins the podcast to discu...
67. Paola Ferrante, "Her Body Among Animals"
05 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Fall Books! And we talk to writer Paola Ferrante about her fantastic eco-horror story collection, Her Body Among Animals, published by Book*hug Pres...
66. Rian Hughes, "The Black Locomotive"
22 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Can you really trust that book cover blurb?; Sam and Elly's "Literary London" gets a second life; and we welcome graphic designer, arti...
64. Translator Frances Riddle, "A Little Luck" (by Claudia Piñeiro)
08 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Have we killed literary fiction?; plus, an interesting discussion with Frances Riddle about her translation of Claudia Piñeiro's novel, A Little...
63. Colin Walsh, "Kala"
25 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What we plan to read this summer, and we talk to Colin Walsh about his debut novel Kala, a satisfying mystery that explores memory, belonging, and vio...
62. Stephanie Bishop, "The Anniversary"
11 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Lori and Sam meet up in Cambridge, UK for punting and pints, and author Stephanie Bishop joins the podcast to talk about her thought provoking thrille...
61. Kathryn Bromwich, "At the Edge of the Woods"
27 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The lasting legacies of Cormac McCarthy and editor Robert Gottlieb, and we talk to author Kathryn Bromwich about her debut novel, At the Edge of the W...
60. Isabella Hammad, "Enter Ghost"
13 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What the British PM reads, small glimmers of hope in the fight against book bans, and we talk to author Isabella Hammad on her new novel, Enter Ghost,...
59. Jenny Erpenbeck, "Kairos"
30 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A tribute to the late author Martin Amis; Jenny Erpenbeck joins us for a fascinating discussion of her new novel, Kairos, which explores the public an...
58. Brad Fox, "The Bathysphere Book: Effects of the Luminous Ocean Depths"
16 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sam and Lori read Henry James' short story, "The Figure in the Carpet," which even Sam admits is pretty good; and we talk to writer Bra...
57. Toby Litt, "A Writer's Diary"
02 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sam brings back news from the London Book Fair, and we talk to author Toby Litt about his latest novel, A Writer's Diary, published by Galley Beg...
56. Martin Riker, "The Guest Lecture"
18 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this special episode with writer and publisher Martin Riker, we talk about running a small publishing house, influential books, Dorothy, a publishi...
55. Catherine Lacey, "Biography of X"
04 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Book-Tok's authenticity problem, and we talk to author Catherine Lacey about her latest, breathtakingly incisive novel, Biography of X. Thank yo...
Ep. 54, Todd McEwan, "Cary Grant's Suit: Nine Movies that Made Me the Wreck I Am Today"
21 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We rave about some pretty cool literary prizes and talk to writer Todd McEwan on his funny and warm memoir, Cary Grant's Suit: Nine Movies that M...
Ep. 53, Donal Ryan, "The Queen of Dirt Island"
07 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Should we edit Roald Dahl and other children's classics? Plus our not-to-be-missed conversation with Donal Ryan on his latest novel, The Queen of...
Ep. 52, Stephen May, "Sell Us the Rope"
21 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Readers share their pet peeves about contemporary fiction, and we talk to author Stephen May about his recent novel, Sell Us the Rope, a portrait of S...
Ep. 51, Paul Harding, "This Other Eden"
07 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Republic of Consciousness Prize for small presses in the US & Canada announes its 2022 longlisted titles, are we facing the end of "book ...
Ep. 50, Maddie Mortimer, "Maps of Our Spectacular Bodies"
24 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Across the Pond celebrates its 50th episode, and we talk to Maddie Mortimer about her polyphonic, visually imaginative novel, Maps of Our Spectacular ...
Ep. 49, Selby Wynn Schwartz, "After Sappho"
10 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What we love and hate about new year reading resolutions, and we talk to author Selby Wynn Schwartz on her 2022 Booker-longlisted novel, After Sappho,...
Ep. 48, Cristina Rivera Garza, "New and Selected Short Stories"
27 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Sam and Lori share their ambitious holiday reading plans, and Cristina Rivera Garza joins the podcast to talk about her New and Selected Short Stories...
Ep. 47, Robin McLean, "Get'em Young, Treat'em Tough, Tell'em Nothing"
13 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Sam and Lori tackle James Joyce's exquisite holiday short story, The Dead, and welcome back to the show writer Robin McLean on her 2022 short sto...
Ep. 46, Dorthe Nors, "A Line in the World: A Year on the North Sea Coast"
29 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Virginia Woolf gets a new statue, and we talk to writer Dorthe Nors about her lovely appreciation of Denmark's lesser known parts: A Line in the ...
Ep. 45, Suzette Mayr, "The Sleeping Car Porter"
15 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Sam and Lori explore Nikolai Gogol's extraordinary short story, The Nose, and Suzette Mayr joins the show to talk about her Giller Prize winning ...
Ep. 44, Michael Hingston, "Try Not to be Strange"
01 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Sam salutes the great feminist publisher Carmen Calill, founder of Virago Press, and we dig into the Kingdom of Redonda and its literary legacy with M...
Ep. 43 Damion Searls, "A New Name" (Jon Fosse)
18 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A gigantic and magnificent novel is headed for the stage, and translator Damion Searls joins us to talk about A New Name by Jon Fosse, Transit Books&a...
Ep. 42, Steve Stern, "The Village Idiot"
04 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Hilary Mantel's sense of humor, and we talk to writer Steve Stern about his latest novel, The Village Idiot, an insightul and time-shifting depic...
Ep. 41, DeMisty Bellinger, "New to Liberty"
20 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Mourning the loss of Spanish author Javier Marias, who leaves a legacy of superb novels; and we talk to DeMisty Bellinger whose novel, New to Liberty,...
Ep. 40, Gwendoline Riley, "My Phantoms" & "First Love"
06 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We kick-off our "In Short" series on favorite short stories with a discussion of "Arrival" by Gurnaik Johal, and we talk to Englis...
Ep. 39, Sonia Overall, "Eden"
23 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Can an "augemented reality" feature enhance your reading pleasure?; and we talk to writer Sonia Overall about her novel, Eden, an exploratio...
Ep. 38, Penelope Mortimer, "Daddy's Gone A-Hunting"
10 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Sam gets big Booker prize news while high in the Eiffel Tower, and we take a close look at Penelope Mortimer's Daddy's Gone A-Hunting, recen...
Ep. 37, Katie Whittemore, "Wolfskin"
26 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When to stop writing your "finished" book, and we talk to Katie Whittemore about her translation of Lara Moreno's novel Wolfskin, nomin...
Ep. 36, Hans von Trotha & translator Elisabeth Lauffer, "Pollak's Arm"
12 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We kick-off an occasional series on small press submissions for the 2022 Republic of Consciousness Prize, US & Canada with author Hans von Trotha ...
Ep. 35, Nina Stibbe, "One Day I Shall Astonish the World"
28 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Sam can't get enough Proust, Javier Marias is the King of Redonda, and Nina Stibbe on her comedic novel about an every day hero, One Day I Shall ...
Ep. 34, Patrick McCabe, "Poguemahone"
14 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Our initial summer reads, and we talk to the wonderful Patrick McCabe about his ghost-rich novel, Poguemahone.Thank you for listening! If you like wha...
Ep 33, Benjamin Myers, " The Perfect Golden Circle"
31 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Trend-bucking magaizne, The Atlantic, expands its book coverage, Margaret Atwood grabs a blowtorch, and Benjamin Myers talks about his latest novel wh...
Ep. 32, Lan Samantha Chang, "The Brothers Karamazov"
17 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We wrap up our wonderful collective read of The Brothers Karamazov with author and director of the Iowa Writers' Workshop, Lan Samantha Chang.Tha...
Ep. 31, Steve Toltz, "Here Goes Nothing"
03 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Lori & Sam meet up in Norwich, England; Lori raves on London bookshops; why we must read more Penelope Fitzgerald novels; and Steve Toltz joins us...
Ep. 30, Hugo Hamilton, "The Pages"
19 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Spoiler alerts, Marx, and Alex Pheby's Mordew, plus we talk to Hugo Hamilton about his latest work, a novel narrated by another novel: "The ...
Ep. 29, Lan Samantha Chang, "The Brothers Karamazov"
05 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
50 years worth of library late fees, cultural "exile" wins big prize, and Lan Samantha Chang returns to discuss the first 350 pages of The B...